President Shimon Peres swore-in 12 new judges and one senior registrar at a ceremony at the Presidents Residence

Jerusalem, 14 January, 2013

President Shimon Peres swore-in 12 new judges and one senior registrar at a
ceremony at the President's Residence

President Shimon Peres, this morning (Monday, 14 January 2013), at his
residence in Jerusalem, held a swearing-in ceremony for eleven new judges to
the Magistrates Courts, one to the Transportation Court and one senior
registrar. The ceremony was also attended by Supreme Court President Asher
Grunis, and Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman.

At the beginning of his remarks President Peres addressed the importance of
an impartial and independent judiciary and said: "An independent and
impartial judicial system is a prerequisite for an enlightened democratic
society." President Peres continued and said, "The Justice system should
deliver verdicts based on justice and law, and not based on public
relations. The judiciary must act as accurate and perfectly calibrated
scales at any time. Black and white often creates shades of grey in reality,
and it is with this complex reality that the justice system must deal with
discretion. Judgment must be lofty, pursuit of peace and truth were always
meant to go hand in hand.

Justice Minister Neeman delivered remarks at the end of his current tenure
and said, "Since the establishment of the current government 237 judges have
been appointed including 176 new judges who have joined the justice system.
In comparison the previous decade saw only 266 judges appointed. The lack of
judges directly affected the work of the justice system by increasing the
workload on the courts and causing delays of justice."

Supreme Court President Asher Grunis congratulated the new judges and said,
"Always remember that in most cases, the interaction of those involved in
the case with you as judges of the Magistrates Courts, will be their only
encounter with the justice system. The manner in which you conduct the
cases, examine the cases, understand the case, look at the questions under
dispute and write the verdict, will affect the trust of the public in the
justice system and impact upon our legitimacy." He went on to address the
upcoming elections and said, "We are in the midst of an election, next week
the citizens of Israel will have the opportunity to undertake one of the
core rights of a democracy – the right to vote. This is an opportunity to
affect the nature of the state, as a citizen and as President of the Supreme
Court, I wish us all a free and fair elections which will be a celebration
of democracy."

President Peres turned to the new judges at the end of the ceremony and
said, "Today we place upon you a heavy burden and a unique responsibility.
We have faith in the abilities you have acquired, your wisdom and your
verdicts. These will accompany you in the special path you have chosen and
for which you have been chosen."

For additional information:
Ayelet Frish – Spokesperson and Media Adviser to the President of Israel,
050-6205111

Yair Zivan – International Media Coordinator, Office of the President of
Israel, 052-3450061